Rail fastener



Patented June 28, 1949 UNITED STATES RAIL FASTENER.

Joseph Ferche, Chicago, Ill. Application December 13, 1946, Serial No. 716,086

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to rail fastenings and more particularly to a form of spike adapted for ready application as well as for adjustment to compensate for shrinkage in wood ties.

Driven spikes frequently become loose due to decay of the wood from which ties are made or because of shrinkage in the wood. While efforts have been made to adapt screw-threaded fasteners for rails, no satisfactory device has been made which may be adjusted when the tie shrinks.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a threaded fastening for rails which is susceptible of adjustment to compensate for shrinkage or decay of the tie.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastening which is substantially water tight with respect to the tie.

A further object is the provision of a fastening adapted to be used with rebored old ties and which is interchangeable with other like fastenings.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a preferred embodiment of the fastening shown in relation to a tie and rail;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a rail and tie illustrating the manner in which the invention is employed;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a plate used on the underside of a tie;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the tie is shown at Ill and the rail at H. A round opening I2 is bored vertically through the tie adjacent the edge of the rail base. The fastening is composed of two parts, a threaded sleeve l3 and a headed bolt element M, the latter being threaded at P5 to cooperate with the threaded sleeve. It will be seen that element M has a square portion It at its upper end to accommodate a wrench and a head 11, the latter having at least its underside l8 cone-shaped to correspond with the angle of the rail base. Adjacent the head the fastening has a cylindrical unthreaded portion l9 having a diameter substantially equal to that of bore l2 and forming a tight fit therewith when inserted in the tie. The threaded portion [5 of the element is reduced in diameter. The upper part of sleeve I3 is also cylindrical and the diameter of this portion is the same as that of bore l2 so that it too fits tightly in the opening. The lower end of the sleeve is square, as shown in Fig. 5, and is enlarged to form a base 2| providing a large bearing surface to engage an anchor plate 22 which is interposed between base 2| and the underside of the tie. As shown in Fig. 3, plate 22 is provided with two elongated openings 23 to permit its use in an angular position, as in Fig. 2, or, if desired, in a position at a right angle to the rail. Opening I2 is counterbored at its lower end to accommodate the square portion of sleeve l3, this square portion also cooperating with the openings 23 in the anchor.

plate to prevent turning of the sleeve.

To assemble the fastening, the sleeves are inserted in the bore from the underside of the tie, after first being passed through the openings in the anchor plates. The anchor plates are preferably nailed or otherwise held in place on the tie before the sleeves are inserted. The tie can then be positioned under the rails, it being obvious that nothing projects from the upper side of the tie to interfere with its movement transverse to the rails. The threaded fastening element is then inserted from the upper side of the tie and threaded into the sleeve. It will be apparent that, if necessary, the fastening element can be tightened from time to time to insure a firm grip on the rail.

While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, it is intended that it be susceptible of modification and it is, therefore, to be limited only by the scope of the following claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A fastener for use with a rail and a tie having a vertical cylindrical bore therethrough, said fastener comprising a threaded sleeve insertable in said bore from the underside of said tie and having a fiat enlarged base at its lower end, an anchor plate interposed between said base and said tie, and a threaded bolt insertable in said bore from the upper side of said tie, said bolt having a head the underside of which is conical and adapted to grip the base of said rail, said bolt having a reduced threaded portion cooperating with said sleeve to draw said head against said rail base, said sleeve and said bolt each having a cylindrical portion the diameter of which is substantialy equal to that of said bore, said plate having an opening with straight sides and said sleeve having a rectangular portion adjacent said base cooperating with the plate opening to prevent turning of said sleeve.

JOSEPH FERCHE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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